What Youth Connection Taught Me

In this blog post, Cristina Correa Segade shares her experience of taking part in GM.Digital's Youth Connection Programme, a 13-week course where members learn important skills about research and digital mental health.

Cristina is an international graduate from Spain with a degree in Computer Systems Engineering from the University of Sunderland. She is now studying bioinformatics, a field she was drawn to for its use of artificial intelligence and biostatistics in addressing real-world challenges in healthcare. "For me, it represents the ideal fusion of technical skill and positive, tangible impact on people's lives," she says.

My path to Youth Connection began, admittedly, in an unconventional manner. I first discovered the programme through an email from Heidi Tranter, sent to my university account, which detailed its mission of fostering research, mentorship and community.

The initiative sounded so positive and well-designed that my first reaction was to assume it must be phishing. It simply felt too good to be true. Only after conducting my own research and verifying that “Youth Connection” was indeed a legitimate and established programme did I feel confident enough to reply to that initial email, finally expressing my interest.

Coming from a predominantly technical and engineering-focused background, I initially worried that I might not fit in as well as some of my peers. However, from the very first session, I felt welcomed and included.

Youth Connection is a very diverse community, and that diversity is one of its greatest strengths. Being surrounded by people with different academic paths, professional goals and personal experiences has been really refreshing and has helped me gain new perspectives on my own journey.

One of the aspects I have valued most has been the opportunity to engage directly with professionals and researchers from a wide range of fields. Through this initiative, I have attended talks by individuals such as Professor Kathryn Abel, who spoke about her journey in academia. Her advice on how to begin writing journal reviews and navigating early research stages was very helpful.

Similarly, learning from Mr Philip Asare about his work as a Software Engineer developing accessible applications highlighted how technical skills can and should be used responsibly to benefit society.

This experience has had a substantial influence on both my research and my future work. It has not only refined my ability to communicate complex, technical ideas to non-specialist audiences, an essential skill in interdisciplinary fields such as bioinformatics; but also provided me with practical insight into the fundamentals of academic life, from structuring a research proposal to understanding the intricacies of securing funding. These are often the hidden curricula of a research career, and Youth Connection makes them transparent and accessible.

More broadly, being part of this community has reaffirmed my belief that the strongest research emerges through collaboration. Whether working with academics, clinicians, NHS professionals or international partners, the programme consistently demonstrates the value of shared purpose.

It has reinforced the idea that being a good researcher is not simply a matter of individual brilliance, but of being a committed, supportive and active member of a community, one who is willing to learn from others while contributing meaningfully in return.

For anyone hesitating, perhaps questioning whether their background is the ‘right’ one or whether an opportunity seems almost too good to be true, I would say this: take that chance.

Youth Connection is a genuine catalyst for growth, and it has shaped me into a more confident, connected and community-minded researcher, with a clearer sense of how my work fits within a wider research ecosystem.

If you are interested in joining Youth Connection, our next course starts at the beginning of February, and you can sign up here.